Shoe-stretcher



R. M. `ELMSTROM. sHoE STRETCHER.

APPUCATION FILED APR. I6, 1919.

1335,226. y Patented Mar.3o,192o.

2i 26 @nvm/woz UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

ROBERT 1v1. ELMSTEOM, 0E SWAMPscoTT, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented D131. 30, 1920.

Application filed April 16, 1919. Serial No. 290,380.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. ELMsTEoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Shoe-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a Shoe stretcher,

ments and combinations of parts hereinafter fi described and more particularly indicated in the appended claims.

A' preferred form of my invention, together with certain modifications, is shown in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe stretcher;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the last blocks, certain parts of the operating mechanism being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the stretcher;

Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sectional elevations taken along the line 4 4 and 5-5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but. showing a modification, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional View Showing a second modification.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a shoe stretcher-comprising a pair of last blocks 10 and 11 having grooves or recesses l2 formed in their inner faces to receive a wedge 13 mounted on the end of a screw 14 extending rearwardly between the blocks. The screw 14 is threaded in a nut 1'5 having laterally extending lugs 16 (Fig. 4) received in holes 17 in the last blocks. Each of the lugs 16 is preferably slotted as indicated at 18 (Fig. 4), and pins 19 are driven down-A ward through the slots 18 after the parts are assembled, to prevent accidentalv separation thereof while at the same time permitting a sufficient lateral movement for stretching purposes.

All of the parts thus far described are of the usual typeand form no part of my invention, which resides in the spring construction best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Recesses 20 and2l are formed in the blocks 10 and 11,l each recess being separated from the v inner face of its block by a relatively thin` end wall 22 through which a smaller passage 23 is formed. A Spring 24 is mounted in each recess 2O and 21, and a rod 25 ex tends through the passages 23 and also through the springs 24, and is provided at each end with a head 26, one of the heads being formed or secured after the parts are assembled.

The modification shown in Fig. 6 is substantially the same as the form shown in Fig. 5 with the exception that the spring retaining` bar orprod is formed of a small metal tuie which is flanged out at each end to retain the springs in position, this constituting a convenient method of construction. With this arrangement of parts, it will be seen that the springs aredisposed entirely within the side surfaces of the blocks 10` and 11, and are fully protected from injury thereby. The springs 24 are normally somewhat compressed and whenever the blocks are separated, the springs are additionally compressed. They act at all times to force the last blocks yieldingly together and particularly as the wedge 13 is withdrawn.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the spring construction combined with a special form of nut for the rod 14. This nut 30 is provided with lugs 31, preferably rather smaller than the lugs 16. The lugs 31 extend through the end walls of recesses 32 in the last blocks and are provided with heads 33 which retain springs 34 in said recesses. The operation is similar to the form first described, and the use of the slots 18 and pins 19 is avoided.

This spring construction is found to be particularly desirable in an article of this character as it is almost impossible to injure or destroy the springs aften they are once assembled in position.

Having thus described my invention, it willbe evident that other changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims, and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to thev details herein disclosed, but what I claim is- 1. A shoe stretcher comprising a pair of last blocks, means to force said blocks apart,

operating with said blocks to additionally` compress both of said springs as said blocks are forced apart.

2. A shoe stretcher comprising a pair of ylast blocks having alined recesses extending toward the inner face of each block, means to force said blocks apart, and means disposed in said recesses to draw said blocks yieldingly together, said latter means including a separate spring in each recess, and

a member extending through both of said springs and through the inner end Walls of said recesses, and having means at both ends te compress said springs as the blocks are separated.

A shoe stretcher comprising a pair of last blocks having alined recesses extending toward the inner face of each block, means to force said blocks apart, and means disposed Yin said recesses to draw said blocks yieldingly together, said latter means including a separate spring in each recess, and a flanged tubular rod extending through both of said springs and through the inner l ROBERT M. ELMsTRoM. 

